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Statins have saved countless lives by reducing the risk of a serious cardiovascular event. Statins achieve this desired effect by reducing the production of cholesterol inside the liver. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that hike your risk of heart disease. However, the effects of taking statins are not entirely benign.

Statin users report a range of side effects, although many can be attributed to the “nocebo effect”.

This describes a situation in which a patient develops side effects or symptoms that can occur with a drug or other therapy just because the patient believes they may occur.

Nonetheless, dose depakote the nature and frequency of adverse events are the focus of much research.

A study published in the journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports suggests side effects are more likely to occur after a specific period of taking statins.

Researchers aimed to evaluate whether the frequencies of documented adverse events increase, decrease, or remain unchanged with long-term statin use.

They reviewed the established literature to define the currently known adverse effects of statin therapy, including myopathy, central nervous system effects, and the appearance of diabetes, and the frequency of these events with long-term medication use.

What did the researchers learn?

“The frequency of adverse effects associated with long-term statin therapy appears to be low,” they wrote.

They continued: “Many patients who develop side effects from statin therapy do so relatively soon after initiation of therapy, so the frequency of side effects from statin therapy when expressed as a percentage of current users decreases over time.”

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Nevertheless, “patients may develop side effects such as muscle pain and weakness years after starting statin therapy; however, the absolute number of patients affected by statin myopathy increases with treatment duration”, they wrote.

It’s worth nothing that no definitive conclusions can be drawn from this study.

Clinical trials of statin therapy rarely exceed five years, so it is impossible to determine with certainty the frequency of long-term side effects with these drugs, the researchers noted.

Side effects reported

Side effects can vary between different statins, but common side effects include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Feeling sick
• Feeling unusually tired or physically weak
• Digestive system problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, Indigestion or farting
• Muscle pain
• Sleep problems
• Low blood platelet count.

The Yellow Card Scheme allows you to report suspected side effects from any type of medicine you’re taking.

It’s run by a medicines safety watchdog called the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

It’s important to note that many people who take statins experience no or very few side effects.

Also, the risks of any side effects also have to be balanced against the benefits of preventing serious problems.

A review of scientific studies into the effectiveness of statins found around one in every 50 people who take the medicine for five years will avoid a serious event, such as a heart attack or stroke, as a result.

Alternatives to statins

The NHS says: “If you’re at risk of developing CVD in the near future, your doctor will usually recommend lifestyle changes to reduce this risk before they suggest that you take statins.”

Lifestyle changes that can reduce your cholesterol level and CVD risk include eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly, says the health body.

Other lifestyle changes include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink
• Stopping smoking.

“Statins may be recommended if these measures do not help,” adds the NHS.

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